FLORENCE, S.C. – Senior outside hitter Ashlee Crook registered a pair of double-digit kill matches as the Francis Marion University volleyball team split two contests on the opening day of the FMU Invitational Tournament, Friday (Sept. 2) in the Smith University Center. The Patriots defeated Belmont Abbey College 25-17, 26-24, 22-25, 25-14 and then fell to Newberry College 18-25, 25-14, 25-14, 25-19.
The tournament will continue on Saturday with the Patriots (1-1) meeting Erskine College at 9 a.m. and Carson-Newman College at 5 p.m. In addition to FMU's matches on Saturday: Newberry plays Belmont Abbey at 11 a.m., Erskine meets Carson-Newman at 1 p.m., Newberry plays UNCP at 3 p.m., and Belmont Abbey faces UNCP at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
In the season opener, Crook compiled 11 kills, 10 digs, and four blocks, while junior Liz Drewry pounded out 10 kills. Sophomore setter Nicole Bennett handed out 32 assists and served five aces, while senior libero Hallie Legg recorded 12 digs and was flawless in 18 serve receptions.
In the loss to Newberry (2-0), Crook had 10 kills, while Bennett dished out 28 assists, and Legg dug up 23 balls.
In Friday's other action: Carson-Newman College defeated Belmont Abbey 25-23, 25-14, 26-24; Newberry beat Erskine 10-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-22; and UNC Pembroke downed Carson-Newman 25-17, 25-12, 20-25, 20-25, 15-8. UNC Pembroke and Erskine tangled in the late match.
2011 Volleyball
Francis Marion Univ. def. Belmont Abbey Coll. 25-17,26-24,22-25,25-14
Belmont Abbey Coll. (0-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Lydia Schellenberg
7-1-0; Bria James 7-0-1; Stefanie Holler 6-0-1; Victoria Jensen 4-0-2;
Kay Schellenberg 3-0-0; Remick Tiller 3-1-1; Morgan Kirby 2-1-1; Jamie
O'Connell 2-0-0; Ginny Eckstein 1-1-0; Julianne Pisano 1-0-0; Molly
Gwaltney 0-1-0; Totals 36-5-4.0. (Assists) - Kay Schellenberg 13;
Molly Gwaltney 11. (Dig leaders) - Julianne Pisano 13; Bria James 8
Francis Marion Univ. (1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Crook, Ashlee 11-0-4;
Drewry, Liz 10-3-1; Parker, Danielle 8-0-2; Mooney, Megan 5-2-4;
Bennett, Nicole 5-5-0; Mitchell, Amanda 5-0-3; Perreault, Paige 4-1-0;
Peji, Meghan 1-0-0; Legg, Hallie 0-1-0; Totals 49-12-8.0. (Assists) -
Bennett, Nicole 32. (Dig leaders) - Legg, Hallie 12; Crook, Ashlee 10
Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Sep 02, 2011 Attend: 175 Time: 1:38
Referees: David Mabe, Rick Laskey
FMU Invitational Tournament
2011 Volleyball
Newberry College def. Francis Marion Univ. 18-25,25-14,25-14,25-19
Newberry College (2-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Samantha Parrish 16-0-4;
Lauren Prachar 14-4-0; Madison Schultz 9-0-3; Anne Staudinger 8-0-0;
Amanda Soper 5-0-1; Jessica King 3-1-5; Chelsea Mayor 0-1-0;
L.Hollingsworth 0-1-0; Totals 55-7-8.0. (Assists) - Blair Browning 25;
Chelsea Mayor 22. (Dig leaders) - L.Hollingsworth 27; Samantha Parrish
15; Lauren Prachar 13
Francis Marion Univ. (1-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Crook, Ashlee 10-0-0;
Mooney, Megan 7-0-1; Drewry, Liz 6-0-2; Mitchell, Amanda 6-1-0;
Parker, Danielle 4-0-3; Bennett, Nicole 4-0-1; Legg, Hallie 0-2-0;
Totals 37-3-4.0. (Assists) - Bennett, Nicole 28. (Dig leaders) - Legg,
Hallie 23; Mooney, Megan 5
Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Sep 02, 2011 Attend: 225 Time: 1:37
Referees: David Mabe, Tad Watson
FMU Invitational Tournament
